Futsal San José - Modified Laws of the Game for U8 games

Modified Laws of the Game for U8 games

Futsal San Jose (FSJ) is excited to offer Futsal to U8s beginning in the 2007/2008 session. To encourage skills development and to keep the game flowing quickly, we have modified the rules to accommodate the Gunderson facility. Coaches will alternate refereeing duties (one coach/team per half), and parents are encouraged to make sure that the goals are in the correct place and the balls are retrieved quickly so that the kids can continue to play.

Teams (players and coaches) will be against the wall at the back of the gym near the halfway line. Parents and spectators may watch from behind either of the goals. Please respect the Gunderson rules (no food or drink - water is OK), and always encourage the players in a positive manner.

Playing Court

The U8 court is defined by the red line around three sides (against the wall and the 2 baselines) plus the black line that runs parallel to the large blue separation curtain as shown in the two pictures. The shaded area is outside the court in both pictures.

There is a "box" or crease roughly square, in front of each goal that is defined as a "keep out zone" for ALL players. Defenders and attackers are not allowed to play the ball from within this area. However, they may run through it to get to one side from the other. The crease is the yellow highlighted area in the picture on the left.

The playing court is divided into two halves by the black halfway line in the middle of the court. Kickoffs are taken from the midpoint of this line.

Referees

A representative (coach or parent) from each team shall alternatively serve as the referee for each half of play. Time is kept by the coach/parent on the court. Scores and fouls will not be officially recorded. A whistle is recommended. Otherwise the "referee" can say STOP!, OUT!, or FREEZE! to stop play.

Ball

FSJ U8s play with a size 3 futsal ball (provided by FSJ).

Game Length

Games will consist of four (4) 10 minute quarters, (two 20 minute halves). There will be a one (1) minute timeout between the first and second and third and fourth quarters. There will be a break of 5 minutes between the first and second halves. Parent/coaches must be sure that the games are started on time so that they can be completed within the 1 hour (or scheduled) timeframe. Games that run over (into the next game) will be stopped in order to keep the schedule on time if they are running late.

Team Size and Substitutions

U8s play 5 v 5, no goalies. Substitutions are unlimited and are made "on the fly" and conform to FSJ/USFF rules. Coaches must make sure the player being substituted is off the court before sending in the substitution. Subs must happen in front of the team "bench" area near the halfway line.

Restarts

All restarts for U8s are INDIRECT (two touch).

For balls that cross the baseline, last touched by the attacking team (the equivalent of a goal release), the restart is a kick-in from either sideline, no more than 2 meters from the baseline (SIDE KICK).

If the ball crosses the baseline last touched by a defender, the restart is a CORNER KICK. Balls that cross either of the sidelines are restarted by a kick in from the point where the ball left the playing surface (KICK IN).

Remember that futsal is supposed to be a fast flowing game, and that restart delays should be discouraged. Help the kids to get the ball back into play quickly. The ball should be on the line and not moving before it is kicked, but this is in fact hard to do, so allow some leeway.

All fouls are restarted from the point of infraction with an INDIRECT kick, except if they occur in the "crease/box". See Infractions below for crease/box fouls.

"Box" or Crease Infractions

If an attacker strikes the ball and scores a goal from within the crease, the goal is not allowed and the restart is a kick in from the side (SIDE KICK).

If a defender prevents a ball from scoring, or deflects the ball from within the crease, the restart is an INDIRECT kick from the penalty green line directly in front of the goal. The defending team is allowed to establish a wall, not inside the box, but at least two "giant steps" away from the ball.

If a foul is committed by a defender in the crease, the restart is an INDIRECT kick from the penalty spot described above. If a foul is committed by an attacker in the crease, the restart is a SIDE KICK.

All other Futsal rules apply: no shoulder charging, no sliding, etc. We want the kids to be able to play futsal without even thinking about it.

Please use common sense and help each other out with these games. Remember, we are developing touch, vision, quickness, skills, and the love of the game here.

© 2006-2008 Futsal San José, California